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Downing Street： January 31； 1905。
Sir； — I am directed by Mr。 Secretary Lyttelton to inform you that he has nominated you to be a missioner to proceed to the United States； and to inspect and to report to him upon the conditions and character of the Agricultural and Industrial Settlements which have been established there by the Salvation Army； with a view to the transmigration of suitable persons from the great cities of the United States to the land and the formation of Agricultural munities。
2。 It appears to the Secretary of State that； if these experiments are found to be successful； some analogous system might with great advantage be applied in transferring the urban populations of the United Kingdom to different parts of the British Empire。
3。 You should pay special attention to the class of persons taken by the Salvation Army； their training and success as agricultural settlers； and the general effect upon character and social happiness； you should also consider the financial aspects of the experiments。
4。 It would be desirable that； after you have inspected the several Settlements； you should proceed to Ottawa and discuss the subject with Lord Grey； who has taken great interest in it； as well as with such local authorities as may be indicated to you by the Governor…General as likely to aid you with advice and assistance as to the application of the system in a British Colony。
5。 The Rhodes Trustees； with whom the suggestion of the Inquiry originated； and by whom Mr。 Lyttelton has been asked to nominate a missioner； have made a grant of 300 pounds； including all travel expenses； to meet the cost of the Inquiry。
I am； Sir；
Your obedient servant；
Fred。 Graham。
H。 Rider Haggard； Esq。
I remember that when I went to see the Colonial Secretary to receive his verbal instructions before sailing； by some accident I missed the right entrance to the Colonial Office and finally obtained admission through a little back…door。 At the time this circumstance struck me as curiously emblematic of my position。 For after a cessation of twenty…six years was I not once again entering the official service of my country through a back…door； by means of this unexpected mission with which I was now honoured？
I inspected the Salvation Army colony at Hadleigh。 Also I had a long interview with General Booth； and in due course I arrived at New York acpanied by my daughter Angela； who acted as my secretary。 Here I was seized upon by interviewers； one instance of which I must record； because it is amusing。 In the Waldorf Hotel we had three rooms — my daughter’s； my own； and a place for sitting。 About two o’clock one night the telephone in each of these rooms （every room in an American hotel has a telephone） began to ring furiously。 I leapt from my bed and tried to attend to two of them。 While I was doing so my poor daughter arrived shivering in her nightgown （there were many degrees of frost）； exclaiming； “Oh； Dad； do e here！ There is a lunatic on the telephone who says he wants me to e out walking in the streets。”
It turned out that some enterprising newspaper was distributing food to the New York poor； and thought that it might get an advertisement by our presence at the process。
After this the young lady in question became artful。 When she went to bed she took the receiver off the telephone。 After I had cut my foot open in a sudden and sleepy midnight rush to that instrument； so did I！
Having paid some official visits we went to Philadelphia； where I inspected the vacant lots which a local society enabled poor people to cultivate。 Also I was entertained at lunch by the Franklin Club； a society of gentlemen connected with literature； of which Dr。 Weir Mitchell； the great nerve specialist； was the venerated president。 This was a truly delightful meal； and one of which I shall always retain most grateful recollections。
From Philadelphia I proceeded to Washington； where I lunched with the late Secretary of State； Mr。 Hay； a most refined and agreeable man who； I found； was a friend of my brother William。 His name is now prominently before the public in connection with the Hay Pauncefote Treaty re the Panama Canal。 On the 9th of March the Under…Secretary； Mr。 Loomis； took us to see the President； Mr。 Roosevelt； who was then celebrating his inauguration。 The White House was crowded with people waiting to shake hands with the new Chief of the State； amongst whom I noted a band of Indian chiefs； men with long black hair； copper…coloured skins； and strongly marked features。 Mr。 Loomis took us to the President’s private room； a double chamber connected with a large ante…room by folding doors。 These doors stood open； and beyond them were gathered a number of gentlemen awaiting the President。 I take it that they were the Council of State or Cabi。
Then the President appeared and shook hands with us warmly。 He was； and indeed still is；30 a short； stout man with a fair； fresh plexion and rows of very even teeth； which he shows in their entirety every time he smiles。 In manner he is frank and earnest； nor does he mince his words and opinions。
29 Written in 1912。 — Ed。
First he waved his hand towards the gentlemen in the ante…room and； pointing to the door； beyond which the crowds through which we had passed were gathered； said that there I beheld the aftermath of a presidential election in a democratic country。 Then he asked me my views upon the South African situation； adding that he was himself of Dutch descent。
I gave them； and he expressed his hope that the Boers in South Africa； with whom he had great sympathy； would settle down； learn English； and bee a dominant factor in that country under the British flag and rule。 He added that he had expressed these views strongly to those of their leaders who had visited him in America； which shows that he； at least； was not working against us in the South African War。
Our talk next turned upon matters connected with the land and with the absolute necessity of keeping the population on the soil and not allowing it to flock into the cities。 I found that his views and mine upon this point were identical； as he recognised the inevitable deterioration of the race which must ensue if the land…dwellers were to bee city…dwellers。 He spoke also on the subject of the limitation of families； and instanced the case of the French Canadians who； in some districts； were crowding out the British…born folk in the Dominion。 These Frenchmen； he informed me； settle upon the land and have large families； whereas the English Canadians draw to the cities。 Also he instanced the case of Australasia。 He impressed me as a thoroughly sound and reliable man — one whose heart was in the right place； and who would do the best he could for his nation during the time it was in his care； and for humanity at large。
A few days later my daughter and I were entertained at luncheon at the White House； to which we went straight from another luncheon； where we were also entertained by citizens of note in Washington。
It was a most amusing meal。 Especially do I recollect Mr。 Roosevelt’s ic sketch of the anticipated details of a forthing meeting between himself and the Swiss Minister； who was attending at the White House to present his credentials。
“He；” he said； “will stand in a fine uniform and read a lot of rot to me in French； while I shall stand opposite to him and read a lot of rot in English。 And that’s what they call the high ceremonies of diplomacy！”
“It is an odd thing； Mr。 Haggard；” he said； as he entered the private drawing…room after luncheon； “that you and I； brought up in different countries and following such different pursuits； should have identical ideas and aims。 I have been reading your book； ‘Rural England；’ and I tell you that what you think； I think； and what you want to do； I want to do。 We are one man in the matter”； or words to that effect。
I could only answer that I was extremely glad to hear it。
I may add that I was not wrong in supposing that the President would try to put these ideas into action； as indeed is shown by his famous Conservation Act； the passing of which he subsequently brought about； also by many other of his administrative deeds。 Further； should he ever return to power again； I am